Kokkinakis Withdraws From US Open With Ankle Sprain, Hints at Retirement

Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew from the US Open before his first-round match against Spain’s Rafael Jodar on September 1 due to an ankle sprain. The 30-year-old Australian, ranked 417th in the world, suffered the injury in Cincinnati two weeks ago and ran out of time to recover. After a decade battling injuries, Kokkinakis admitted he may have played his last US Open and is losing patience with his body’s constant failures.

How the injury derailed Kokkinakis’s US Open bid

Kokkinakis twisted his ankle during a gruelling three-hour match against Nuno Borges at the Cincinnati Masters in mid-August. He collapsed with severe cramps before rolling his ankle on match point in the third set tiebreak. Despite racing the clock to recover, he could not take the court in New York. The withdrawal marked another setback for the injury-plagued star.

A decade of injuries has worn down Kokkinakis

The 30-year-old has spent the past ten years fighting back, shoulder, abdominal, knee, and arm injuries. In early 2025, he underwent surgery to attach a deceased donor’s Achilles tendon to his shoulder in a last-ditch effort to revive his career. He returned to singles action in May 2026 after four months out. Despite these efforts, Kokkinakis admits he is sick of entering tournaments unable to trust his body.

Kokkinakis used his fifth protected ranking entry

Kokkinakis used one of nine injury-protected ranking entries available to him to enter the US Open draw. Players can use protected rankings to maintain their standing while recovering from injury. He described using the fifth entry as “wasting” it, since he never made it on court. He cannot use the same grand slam twice for a protected ranking, limiting his future options.

Plans to focus on Australian summer competition

Kokkinakis plans to continue his recovery and hopes to be fully fit for the Australian summer. He told AAP he wants to enter tournaments feeling confident in himself and able to back up wins. The South Australian remains uncertain whether he will return to the US Open, saying it is “a possibility for sure” but offering no guarantees about his future in professional tennis.

Final Thoughts

Kokkinakis’ withdrawal underscores the toll of chronic injury on elite athletes. At 417th in the world and running low on protected ranking entries, his path back to grand slam competition grows narrower with each setback.

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